No Fear of the Shadows
by ukulelefoot
Summary: Set post-2x6. Jocelyn and Maggie.


**Title taken from Tess of the d'Urbervilles, as is the quote at the end. Character's aren't mine, etc.**

_Your mother had a fall. I- I'm afraid she passed away._

Jocelyn's head spins. She feels winded. Remembering where she is, she stays strong.

"I'll be there as soon as I can."

"Do you have someone with you?" asks Andrew, concerned as always.

She turns back to Maggie, who, even though Jocelyn is trying to keep a neutral expression, can tell that something bad has happened. Maggie frowns and instinctively moves towards her, her hand reaching and gently finding Jocelyn's arm.

"Yes, I have." Jocelyn just about manages to reply, making Maggie look increasingly worried. Even Ben seems concerned now. "I'll be there in about twenty minutes."

Andrew says goodbye and she puts the phone back into her bag as Maggie takes her hand away and slightly ducks down to pull Jocelyn's eyes back up to look at her.

"What is it?" she asks.

Jocelyn turns to her junior.

"I have to go, Ben. I'll call you later," she says quietly.

"Is everything ok?" The gentleness of his voice surprises Jocelyn.

"I..." Words fail her momentarily. "I'll call you later." She looks to Maggie for help and she sees her give Ben a forced yet reassuring smile. This seems to be sufficient, as Ben leaves.

Maggie moves her focus back to Jocelyn.

"Talk to me."

Jocelyn looks up at her, calm and collected.

"Not here." Her voice is quiet, cracks a little. She turns away, her fingers brushing against Maggie's to get her to follow, and leads her to the car park.

Once they're in the car, Maggie sits and waits for an explanation.

"Can you take me to the home?" asks Jocelyn, looking straight ahead.

"Oh, Jocelyn." Of course she can work out what's happened. Jocelyn turns to face her, tears spilling over. When Maggie takes her hand, she lets out a sob.

"Come on." Maggie sniffs after a minute. "Put your seatbelt on."

Jocelyn does as she's told.

The journey to the home is silent. Jocelyn doesn't cry. She doesn't know what to do. Maggie holds her hand the whole way there apart from when she needs it for driving.

Once they arrive, Maggie helps her out of the car. They go into the home and are met by one of the carers. He offers his condolences to Jocelyn before taking them to Veronica's room.

Just outside the door, Jocelyn pauses and takes a deep breath. She reaches backwards to where she knows Maggie will be standing and feels their fingers lace together. Maggie feels reluctant, so Jocelyn responds to her unspoken question.

"I need you."

She opens the door and Maggie follows her in, their hands still clasped together. Veronica is laid on the bed, pale and motionless. Jocelyn feels her legs give way slightly and she falls into Maggie, who holds her up in a tight embrace, stroking her hair as Jocelyn cries into her shoulder.

Jocelyn is still being held up by Maggie as they make their way up the cliff path and to her house. It seems a lot higher up this evening, she thinks.

Maggie sets her down in her arm chair and pauses in thought for a moment before she speaks.

"I'll go and put the kettle on."

Jocelyn watches her go into the kitchen and wonders what on earth she would do without Maggie. Thoughts about life without her flash through her mind, as they have done so many times before. She shakes her head softly to get rid of them.

Maggie reappears with two large mugs of tea. Mugs. This is definitely a day for mugs.

"There you go," she says, handing one to Jocelyn before sitting on the settee. "Drink up."

They drink in silence. The silences between them are never awkward. In fact, more is said in the silences than can ever be said verbally.

The sound of Maggie putting her mug down breaks Jocelyn out of her thoughts.

"Are you..." Maggie cuts herself off. Jocelyn looks up at her with a wry smile on her face. It's a rare occasion when quick-witted Maggie doesn't know what to say.

"I will be," Jocelyn whispers.

She sees Maggie shift a little and knows it's an invitation. Slowly, she gets up and takes the two steps she needs to reach the settee.

Maggie is warm and comforting as always. She wraps one arm around Jocelyn, placing a kiss on her temple, and reaches for the worn copy of Tess of the D'Urbervilles that's sitting on the coffee table with the other.

She opens it up to the page they'd stopped at last night and slips out the bookmark – a piece of fabric embroidered with the words 'I'll be your eyes if you're all ears'.

Maggie starts reading, her voice low and quiet, as if reading a bedtime story to a child.

"The season developed and matured. Another year's instalment of flowers, leaves, nightingales, thrushes, finches, and such ephemeral creatures took up their positions..."

Jocelyn closes her eyes. Her whole being focuses on the feel of fingers soft against her shoulder, the sound of words soft in her ear.

She may have lost her mother, but she's still got Maggie.

She'll always have Maggie.


End file.
